Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Neymar and Graziano Pelle Rumours

Neymar's ongoing tax fraud case could force him to leave Barcelona in the future, much to Manchester United's delight, and the Red Devils have also received mixed news in their pursuit of Southampton's Graziano Pelle.

The father of Brazil striker Neymar spoke to Spanish radio station Cadena SER this week, where he confessed the tax cases in his native country and in Spain could affect his son's club future (h/t Goal.com's Chris Davie):

"

We are talking about renewal but we are need to solve some things. We need to know if Spain accepts our situation. It's hard for us because we are receiving many attacks, from Brazil and from Spain. Neymar is a star and works his image here and from Brazil. 

We're talking to everyone to know what to do with this matter because we don't want to be in Spain two, three, four, five or ten years and then we are caught by surprise by saying that our structure is wrong. We need to know if things are right for us.

[...]

We never had such big fiscal problems in Brazil. After arriving Spain the attacks began and the attacks have now spread to Brazil. We will respect the contract he has with the club but we don't want a renewal without peace of mind.

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The report detailed how a Brazilian court has frozen £31.3 million worth of assets belonging to Neymar, his family, their businesses and subsidiaries after being accused of fraud.

It's alleged the Blaugrana attacker avoided paying £10.5 million in taxes between 2011 and 2013 before leaving boyhood club Santos to join Barcelona.

Manchester United are mentioned as being in pursuit of the South American superstar, and the Red Devils might actually be one of the few clubs capable of tempting him away from the Camp Nou at present.

Neymar is producing the best football of his career and looks to be among the front-runners for the 2015 Ballon d'Or after winning a European and domestic treble with Barca last season, Ross Dunbar of Fox Soccer agreed:

Neymar has scored 67 goals in 106 appearances for Barcelona since arriving at the club two years ago, but the tax allegations hanging over his name have provided a gloomy streak amid all his success.

However, Selecao legend and countryman Pele doesn't believe the forward offers a rounded enough approach as talk of a move to Old Trafford intensifies, he told Brazilian magazine Placar (h/t Adam Skinner of the Daily Express):

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Neymar is a good player. But how many goals has he scored with his head in his life? He is an excellent player, but Vasconcelos, my team-mate at Santos, was 10 times better than Neymar, without any doubt. Neymar is an attacker, he plays up front, that is it.

He does not track back, does not organise and does not come out to play. It's difficult to compare him with so many players of the past when he has such weaknesses. Although, within the current Brazil team, he is the main figure, the only one.

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United manager Louis van Gaal might therefore feel safer investing in a tried-and-tested Premier League asset such as Pelle, who recently admitted he could leave Southampton when his contract expires in 2017.

However, it's his native Italy that the Azzurri striker appears to be pining for, per Sam Long of the London Evening Standard:

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My contract with Southampton expires in 18 months, one year after Euro 2016. Italy is the most beautiful country and it is that beauty which I am missing. Nostalgia is always there with Italy and I’m nostalgic. Of course, I’m happy in England right now, but only time will tell.

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One can't imagine Pelle will put his place in Italy's squad at risk before Euro 2016, meaning a move to Old Trafford this winter is likely a stretch too far, but perhaps his head can be turned in future.

Rather than lose their star forward for nothing in 2017, the Saints may also be open to the idea of selling their forward next year. After all, they're already agreed to deals for Luke Shaw and Morgan Schneiderlin in the last 18 months.

The 30-year-old has bloomed late in his career and after finding prolific form at Feyenoord, Pelle is now continuing his clinical pattern on England's south coast, per ESPN FC's Jake Cohen:

The Red Devils are once again looking to St. Mary's in their bid to provide Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney with more striking competition, and Pelle would help in offering a much different set of skills to their front line.

That being said, with the forward set to turn 31 next July, Van Gaal may consider Pelle slightly over-ripe based on the largely youth-oriented recruitment policy he's adopted thus far at Old Trafford.